Device for the production of artificial fibers



y 0, 1950 D. HORSAK 2,509,735

DEVICE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL FIBERS Filed Jan. 29, 1949 Patented May 30, 1950 .DEVIGEQFORL'EHE PRODUCTION. OF ARTIFICIAL FIBERS Drahomiriflorsak, pava;:Gze'ch'oslavakia Application January 29, 1949,'S.ei'iaLNo."73',509 InCzechoslovakiaL March6,.l948

'?9' Claims. (Cl-1 1848) The-present invention relates to improvements in a device for the productionofartificialfibers and-is an improvement in or modification'of ap- ""plication Serial'No. 766102 filed onAugust 4, 1947. According to the said parent application artificial 'fibres are produced indry or Wetstate by extruding a fibre forming 'mass'in solution or "in'amolten state through a porouswall made of a material of natural or artificial 'porousness consisting for example of earthenware, glass or metal, "re iriforced if necessaryyand suitably heated'in case thermoplastics are being treated and preferably consisting of a screen or a system of screens made of fibres or strips. "The extrusion (if the" fibre for-ming "mass through the porous --wall (which is preferably of cylindrical shape) is assisted by Withdrawing the formed' 'iibres either by direct pulling action 'or bycentrifugal force. The Withdrawing operation may take place with a greater velocity than the speed-of formation of the fibres so that the' latter are stretched at the same time.

In further development of the device-"according to the parent applicationfl have fourfd that ithe 'oontinnousformation of artificial fibres may "preferablybe carried outby continuously with- "drawing fiber iike bodies from amagazine or storage container filled "with thefiber forming mass by mere pulling action of the receiving: or winding mechanism, the orifices in'the container, serving for the passage of the fibre forming mass having a dimension equal to a multiple "of the diameter of the formedfibers.

According'to the present invention I-use asurface or a rotating body as adepositionsurface,

at the "sides of which containersfor the fiber- "forming mass are placed, said containers receiv- 'formation'of fibers and for theirintroduction'on to the rotating *body a rockable comb is used.

According to a further feature of the inven- *tion; the containers-are provided with a slot or with a system of orificesfrom Whichthefibers 'arewithdrawn and depositedon a drum; the con- *tainer being provided. with a throttling mema "now be 'd'escfi'lcued with reference to the accompanying-drawing, it being understoo'd that *the examples are only illustrative without restricting the scope of "the invention.

In 'the drawing Wig. lshowsima perspective-view a modified ==enibodiment o'f the device for depositing -the fib81-sin 'a ="zig-zag*course.

Fig/ 2 n a diagrammatic view of afurth'er "embodiment and Fig. 3"shows the formation or a depositing surface-for'the production of "shaped articles.

Fig. shows in' a longitudinal section a mo'di- "fled embodiment of the "invention.

For -producin'g fibers in a continuous way' arid at -the same"time for achieving a new' fi'ect by depositing the fibers in a zig-zag course thede- *vice' shown in Fig; 1 is preferably used.

ln a frame dll of a suitable shape a drumll is mountedfor rotation. The drumconsists'of twoflangesl connectedby rods. The drum is driven by anysuitable means as for example "by meansof bevel gears'M, pi11ley45 and 'belt- 46. Mounted for reciprocal 'niovem'ent in a-suitable guide 41 are two containers and49preferably connected together'by cross-piecesill. T-he'driv- -ingshaft 5| is provided at itslower-end witha crank or crank *disc"52;" the 'pivot 53-of the crank being journalld to a link 54 engaging the cross- 'piece 50.

when the shafttl is driven the'drumll is "rotated and at the same time the crank*53 imoparts reciprocating movement to the "two oontainers- 48.49.

A combfifi is arranged'on' two arms 56;-mounte"d for rotation on the axis of the drum. The -ar- "ran'gement is such thatwhemthe comb "56 is "rocked downwards it engages or dips" into "one "orthe other coritainer48 or 49.

The device described operates as follows:

"Movement is imparted to thebe1t=46-' thus' setting.the drum M in rotation and containers 48,

"49 which have beenfilie'd' withfiber forming'matei-ial in"reciprocating movement. The: comb '55 is therrimmersed intothe container 43 and lifted therefrominthe direction of t'he' arrow M. 1 The fiber-forming mass" which is (if-sticky tenacious character adheres to the "points "of the "comb and is thusflrawn or'extruded in simple mannerin the formpffilamentsfrom the'container 48 and "upon"further'rotatiomdeposited on the rods'43 of the drum and entrained thereby. Owing to the "reciprocal "movement "of the "container the fibers-are. deposited in a'zigezag' manner 'onijthe drumWl.

In a similar way may fibers or filaments 1 of the same character be drawn or extruded from the container 49, said fibers too being wound on the drum 4| from the other side and immediately adhere to the still somewhat sticky fibers previously deposited.

It is obvious that the amplitude of the reciprocating movement imparted to the containers may be controlled by changing the distance of the pivot 53 from the centre of the disc 52. The pivot 53, may, therefore, be mounted adjustably in radial direction.

Further it is obViOus that because the filaments or fibers are not extruded through orifices in nozzles but simply drawn from the fluid mass, the density of the zig-zag course of the fibres may easily be altered by changing the ratio between the revolutions of the drum and the period of the reciprocating movement of the containers. The drive of the drum may be independent from the drive of the reciprocating containers to allow any desired ratio between the revolutions of the drum and the period of reciprocating movement. It is, of course, possible to use only one container, if desired. Furthermore difierent fiber forming materials in each container may be used or material of different colours or other properties as the case may be. Each container may receive a difierent movement or one may be at rest and the other moved. to achieve various efiects. Further it is possible to impart reciprocal movement to the drum to achieve undulation of the zig-zag placed fibres. For this purpose the drum is mounted for movement in axial direction and reciprocal motion is imparted thereto in any suitable way, e. g. by a separate drive or suitable gears.

This embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 4. A shaft m is mounted for rotation in a suitable frame ll, and driven by bevel gears 12, E3 in a way similar to the embodiment according to Fig. 1. A drum M is mounted for axial movement on the shaft 75!, its rotation relatively to the shaft it being prevented by a key 15. A bell crank lever 76 is mounted on a bracket 11 of the frame H, one arm of the bell crank lever '56 engaging into a groove 18 on the hub of the drum M. The bell crank lever is pivoted at 19in the bracket 11, its other arm being provided with a slot 8E! cooperating with a pin 8| eccentrically arranged on a disc 82 or on a crank mounted for rotation in the bracket 71. The disc 82 is rotated by any suitable means (not shown).

A comb 33 is mounted for rocking movement on the shaft H1 in a way similar to that shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 4 the drum portion of the device only is shown it being understood that the formation of containers may be similar to that shown in Figs. 1 or 2 (which will be described hereinafter).

This embodiment of the invention operates as follows:

By the movement imparted to the disc 82 the bell crank lever 16 is set into reciprocal movement which is transmitted to the drum 14 the latter carrying out reciprocal movement in axial direction as shown by the arrows P-P.

It is obvious that any other suitable means for imparting reciprocal movement to the drum may be used, the arrangement described above and shown in Fig. 4 being given by way of example only.

- In this way the individual fibres are superimposed in undulated formation in a zig-zag course.

In certain cases it may be an advantage not to extrude the fibers upwards but to draw the fibers from a container placed near the upper part of the drum.

Such an embodiment is shown in Fig. 2, wherein the drum 60 may be of similar design as according to Fig. 1. The fiber-forming mass 6| is placed in a container 62 having an orifice or a system of side orifices 63 which is in close proximity to the upper part of the drum. The comb 64 is adapted to enter the orifices 63 and if rotated in the direction of the arrow P, and after making contact with the material in container 62, it draws or extrudes a system of fibers which are then deposited on the rods of the drum 60 and drawn out by the drum in an approximately tangential direction from the container 6|. If desired a slide 65 may be arranged for controlling the dimensions of the orifice 63 without the use of nozzle so as to control the flow and quantity of material extruded. It is obvious that also in this case reciprocal movementmay be imparted to the container or to the drums.

The process according to the invention makes it possible to produce articles directly in the required shape. In such a case it is only necessary to give the drum a shape corresponding to that of the finished article. Such a drum is diagrammatically shown in Fig. 3 wherein the drum consists of two flanges 66 between which a surface (screen or the like) 51 is fastened, said surface having a shape corresponding to that of the final product.

It is obvious that the described process of production may also be used for other materials than mentioned above, such as glass or the like and may be carried out in a suitable medium e. g. in gaseous nitrogen or carbon dioxide according to the characteristics of the polyamide or other material used, so as to prevent undesirable oxidation.

Further it is possible by suitably shaping the drum 42, 65 or M to draws and thus deposit the mass on the drum in the form of strips or sheets of any desired width.

While I have disclosed the principles of my invention in connection with several embodiments it will be understood that these embodiments are given by way of example only and not as limiting the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for producing artificial fibers from a fiber-forming mass, comprising a rotary body serving as a deposition surface for the fibers, containers for the fiber forming mass arranged at the sides of the said rotary body, means for imparting reciprocal motion to the said containers, and a rockable comb adapted to initiate the formation of fibers and to deposit them on to the rotating body, the said container having an orifice for the exit of the fiber-forming mass, the said orifice having a dimension equal in area to a multiple of the diameter of the produced fibers, the latter being continuously withdrawn from the containers by mere pulling action of the said rotating body.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein th container is provided with a slot from which the fibers are withdrawn and deposited on the rotating body and, a throttling member is included which is movably disposed on the container to control the area of the said slot. 7

3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container is provided with a system of slots from whichthe fibers are withdrawn and deposited on the rotating body, and a throttling member is included which is disposed on the container to control the area of the said system of slots.

4. A device for the production of artificial fibers from a fiber-forming mass, comprising a rotary body serving as a deposition surface for the fibers, containers for the fiber forming mass arranged at the sides of the said rotary body, means for imparting reciprocal motion to the said containers, a rockable comb adapted to initiate the formation of fibers and to deposit them on to the rotating body, the container having an orifice for the exit of the fiber-forming mass, the said orifice having a dimension equal in area to a multiple of the diameter of the produced fibers, the latter being continuously withdrawn from the containers by mere pulling action of the said rotating body, and means for imparting reciprocating motion to the said rotary body to super-impose the fibers in undulated formation in a zigzag course.

5. A device for the production of artificial fibers from a fiber-forming mass, comprising a rotary body serving as a deposition surface for the fibers, containers for the fiber forming mass arranged at the sides of the said rotary body, means for imparting reciprocal motion to the said containers, and a rockable comb adapted to initiate the formation of fibers and to deposit them on to the rotating body, the container having an orifice for the exit of the fiber-forming mass, the said orifice having a dimension equal in area to a multiple of the diameter of the produced fibers, the latter being continuously withdrawn from the containers by mere pulling action of the said rotating body, the shape of the rotating body conforming with the shape of the article to be produced.

6. A device for the production of artificial fibers from a fibre-forming mass, comprising a rotary body serving as a deposition surface for the fibers, a container for the fiber-forming mass, an orifice provided in the said container for the extrusion of fibers on to the rotary body from above in approximately tangentia1 direction, and a rockable comb adapted to initiate the formation of fibers and to deposit them on to the rotating body, the orifice in the said container having an areal dimension equal to a multiple of the diameter of the produced fibers.

7. A device for the production of artificial fibers from a fibre-forming mass, comprising a rotary body serving as a deposition surface for the fibers, a container for the fiber-forming mass, an orifice provided in the said container for the extrusion of fibers on to the rotary body from above in approximately tangential direction, and a rockable comb adapted to initiate the formation of fibers and to deposit them on to the rotating body, the orifice in the said container having an areal dimension equal to a multiple of the diameter of the produced fibers, and means for imparting reoiprocal movement to the container.

8. A device for the production of artificial fibers from a fibre-forming mass, comprising a rotary body serving as a deposition surface for the fibers, a container for the fiber-forming mass, an orifice provided in the said container for the extrusion of fibers on to the rotary body from above in approximately tangential direction, a rockable comb adapted to initiate the formation of fibers and to deposit them on to the rotating body, the orifice in the said container having an areal dimension equal to a multiple of the diameter of the produced fibers, means for imparting reciprocal movement to the said rotary body, and means for imparting reciprocal movement to the container.

9. A device for the production of artificial fibers from a fiber-forming mass, comprising a rotary body serving as a deposition surface for the fibers,

containers for the fiber forming mass arranged at the sides of the said rotary body, means for imparting reciprocal motion to the said containers, and a rockable comb adapted to initiate the forr mation of fibers and to deposit them on to the rotating body, the container having an orifice for the exit of the fiber-forming mass, the said orifice having an areal dimension equal to a multiple of the diameter of the produced fibers, the latter being continuously withdrawn from the containers by mere pulling action of the said rotating body, said rotary body being shaped so as to deposit the mass in the shape of strips of desired width.

DRAHOMER HoRsAK.

No references cited. 

1. A DEVICE FOR PRODUCING ARTIFICIAL FIBERS FROM A FIBER-FORMING MASS, COMPRISING A ROTARY BODY SERVING AS A DEPOSITION SURFACE FOR THE FIBERS, CONTAINERS FOR THE FIBER FORMING MASS ARRANGED AT THE SIDES OF THE SAID ROTARY BODY, MEANS FOR IMPARTING RECIPROCAL MOTION TO THE SAID CONTAINERS, AND A ROCKABLE COMB ADAPTED TO INITIATE THE FORMATION OF FIBERS AND TO DEPOSIT THEM ON TO THE ROTATING BODY, THE SAID CONTAINER HAVING AN ORI- 